5 Awesome Fitness Apps That Offer Rewards

These popular fitness apps, such as Charity Miles and GymPact, reward you for working out.

If you’re trying to keep your fitness regimen on track, there are plenty of apps for that. But there are some that don’t just count calories and sync your playlist—they also offer rewards for being healthy, or even help make the world a better place. Talk about a win-win!

NEXERCISE: Free coupons.The Nexercise app is more a game than a workout. All it takes is 15 minutes of motion to unlock awards: deals for gyms, energy bars, spa retreats, and healthy dining options. The best part? Walking your dog for 15 minutes counts as much as 15 minutes of hill sprints. Your choice, but the reward is the same. The app is free and available for iPhone and Android.

GYMPACT: Get paid.Nothing motivates like a dwindling bank account to get your butt in shape! GymPact rewards users with cash for sticking to their workout routines—and slaps them with a “lazy tax” if we don’t. Here’s the skinny: You commit to GymPact that you’ll go to the gym four times per week for at least 30 minutes, making sure to “check in” to the app when you arrive. At the end of the week, if you stick to your plans, GymPact will deposit money into your PayPal account. If you fail, GymPact will charge you—an amount you pre-approve—for each missed workout, so your muscles and bank account will lose if you don’t go. (The money taken from you cycles back to users who do succeed their weekly goals.) Available for iPhone and Android. Also available: GymPactAnywhere, which is same idea, but for those who prefer working out at home, at work, or outside.

BODBOT: Free personal trainer.If Siri were a personal trainer, she’d be BodBot. A personal trainer, strength coach and nutritionist in one app, BodBot tailors workouts based on individual performance, biomechanics, and physiology, honing in on your body and what areas need to be strengthened. The app also determines nutrient deficiency and recommends foods to make you healthier. The app takes into account your goals, schedule, physical dimensions, strengths and weaknesses, experience, and what fitness equipment you have accessible at home or at the gym—and it’s free for both iPhone and Android.

CHARITY MILES: Donates to charity.CharityMiles turns you into a sponsored athlete. All you have to do is choose a charity—options include Stand Up to Cancer, RED, Autism Speaks, Habitat for Humanity, and many more—and then go for a run, bike ride, or even just a walk. The app will track your distance and donate 10 cents for every mile biked or 25 cents for every mile walked or run. You’ll receive a note confirming your donation after your workout. Free for iPhone and Android.

SPRINGPAD: Keeps you on track.Springpad does everything from recording favorite workout routines to remembering what inspires us to stay on track. It was named one of Time magazine’s Top 50 iPhone apps of 2012; supporters describe it as the love child of Evernote and Pinterest. The app also takes notes, creates checklists, collects recipes, organizes personal fitness goals, and allows users to collaborate with friends. Free for iPhone and Android.